SPRING 2008 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1

InnovationsTHE NEWSLETTER OF THE FRANKLIN W. OF J. Thomas Krimmel Joins Planning, Teamwork led to Olin as Vice President for Successful ABET effort Development On April 1, J. Thomas Krimmel joined Olin LAST AUGUST, Olin College knowledge of ABET and its standards and College as vice president for development. reached a key milestone it its development procedures.The second visit consisted He came to Olin from the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in New when its three degree programs—electrical of a thorough mock evaluation of Olin’s York City, where he served as chief develop- and , mechanical programs.The Olin program groups J. Thomas Krimmel ment officer. engineering and engineering—received learned a great deal from these evaluations. Since 2005 Mr. Krimmel led the NFTE accreditation from ABET, Inc., the “ABET accreditation of our degree development team, which increased gifts received by 58 percent over accreditor of college and university programs is a major accomplishment for a two-year period to $12.2 million while increasing the number of programs in engineering and related fields. Olin College,” said Moody.“Our success donors by 33 percent. The successful effort—Olin received so soon after graduating our first class Additionally, he has been the chief development officer at four accreditation at the first possible shows that our efforts over a period of different institutions over the last 26 years, including serving as vice opportunity after its founding—was a several years to understand the intent of president of development and alumni relations at from result of teamwork and planning that ABET and ensure that our programs met 1990 to 2005. During the 1990s, he guided Babson’s $122 million fund- stretched back several years. their criteria really paid off.” raising campaign. Babson has been an educational partner with NFTE Although ABET accreditation was on Moody noted that all the members of since 1994, and Mr. Krimmel served as the Babson representative in this partnership for many years. He was a member of the Executive Olin’s agenda from the earliest years, the faculty participated in the data Committee at Babson when the decision was made in the mid-1990s concerted efforts to engage with the collection effort that led up to the “Self to collaborate with the F. W. Olin Foundation to create Olin College, an accreditation process began in 2003.Vice Study” assessment of each program. He independent college of engineering adjacent to the Babson campus. President (then Dean of Faculty) Michael singled out Professors Gill Pratt, Brian “We are very pleased that Tom Krimmel will be leading the Storey, Mark Somerville, Debbie Chachra development effort here at Olin,” said Olin President Richard K. Miller. and Jon Stolk as instrumental in “His background and judgment will be critical in the next phase of producing the Self Studies for Olin’s growth. Tom brings not only years of senior leadership experi- each program, which were used ence in development, but also a deep appreciation of entrepreneurial by the ABET visiting team in the thinking and a thorough understanding of Olin’s mission.” evaluations.Ann Schaffner, director of institutional research and improvement, and Sherra Kerns, then VP for Innovation James J. Duderstadt to and Research, also played key Address Class of 2008 at roles in the successful effort. Commencement “With ABET accreditation, Olin’s programs gain important Dr. James J. Duderstadt will deliver the external recognition from the Commencement address to Olin’s Class of 2008 graduates. Dr. Duderstadt is President Emeritus engineering community,” said and University Professor of Science and Kerns.“We’re very pleased to Engineering at the University of Michigan, an achieve accreditation for each of James J. Duderstadt international leader in engineering education, our degree programs at the first and a member of the Olin College President’s (left to right) Dr. Sherra Kerns, Dr. Michael Moody and Ann opportunity after the founding of Council. A recipient of the National Medal of Technology, former Chair Schaffner spearheaded the ABET effort, aided by contributions this entirely new institution.” of the National Science Board, and a member of US Education from the faculty and other members of the Olin community. Accreditation by ABET is a Secretary Spellings’ Commission on the Future of Higher Education, voluntary, peer-review process he has served on numerous other national boards and has received Moody, who was responsible for pushing that requires programs to undergo many awards. A graduate of Yale and Caltech, his teaching and the effort along, distributed copies of the comprehensive, periodic evaluations.The research activities include nuclear science and engineering, applied ABET criteria to faculty and created evaluations, conducted by teams of physics, computer simulation, science policy and higher education. At “program evaluation sheets” to guide the volunteer professionals working in the University of Michigan, he currently directs the program on Science, Technology and Public Policy in the Gerald R. Ford School of efforts. He also appointed program chairs industry, government, academe and private Public Policy, the Michigan Energy Research Council and the and a program group for each degree practice within the ABET disciplines, Millennium Project. “Special thanks to the 23 members of the Olin program—a key move, given Olin’s non- focus on program curricula, faculty, community for their suggestions of 30 potential speakers,” said Dean departmental academic structure. students, facilities, institutional support and of Student Life, Rod Crafts on behalf of The Commencement Steering Crucial to the successful effort were other important areas. Olin is scheduled Committee. two visits by a group of consultants with a for its next general review in six years.

TH “We’re very pleased to achieve accreditation for each OLIN 10 ANNIVERSARY 2 E PRESIDENT’S LETTER 2 of our degree programs at the first opportunity D CAMPUS EVENTS 4 I

after the founding of this entirely new institution.” DEVELOPMENT UPDATE 4 S

SCOPE PROJECT SPOTLIGHT 6 N – Dr. Sherra Kerns F ACULTY FOCUS 7 I HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY, OLIN COLLEGE!

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

An integral part of the Olin mission, from the college’s inception, was for the institution to be a model for the revitalization of engineering education. This lofty goal has been expressed in different ways throughout Olin’s short history. The current version of Olin’s mission statement says “the College is dedicated to the discovery and development of the (left to right) Rick Miller, Larry Milas and Bill Norden, outside the newly dedicated and renamed Milas Hall. most effective educational approaches and aspires to serve as a model for others.” Here’s the funny thing about serving as a model Olin Celebrates 10th Anniversary for others: they serve as a model for you, too. We have On Monday, November 12, with the Board speech, Mr. Milas presented a final, gener- learned a tremendous amount from the exchanges we of Trustees and President’s Council mem- ous gift of more than $12.8 million to have had with other institutions struggling with the bers on campus, Franklin W.Olin College President Miller and William Norden, same challenge as we are: how to make engineering of Engineering celebrated its 10th anniver- chairman of the Board of Trustees.The gift sary. It was ten years before, November 18, marks the official handing over of the final education exciting and relevant to the issues facing 1997, that the College received its educa- assets of the F.W.Olin Foundation to the society today. Out of the accreditation process, the tional charter from the Commonwealth of College. many visits we get from other institutions, and the trips , the same year the F.W.Olin Following Mr. Milas’s presentation, and presentations I and other Olin representatives Foundation announced its ambitious plans President Miller invited everyone present to make on behalf of the College, we have set up a lively for the college. join Mr. Norden and himself outside of the dialog about improving the preparation of engineers A small celebration was arranged in the Olin Center for a surprise announcement. Olin Auditorium, where Lawrence Milas, Mr. Norden spoke fondly of Mr. Milas, a and gaining an understanding for engineering’s crucial Olin Trustee and President of the friend and mentor, and announced that the role in solving the world’s problems. Foundation, recounted the strategic plan- school would rename the Olin Center, the In just the last six months, we have had visits ning process that led him to the “crazy” college’s administrative hub, as Milas Hall. from the Singapore Education Ministry, Fundacao idea of starting a brand-new engineering He noted that, under Mr. Milas’s direction, Armando Alvares Penteado in Brazil, the Kanazawa college. He credits his wife, Marjorie, as his the F.W.Olin Foundation had awarded 42 Institute of Technology in Japan, The Samsung muse who urged him to “build your own building grants totaling more than $200 Advanced Institute of Technology in Korea, Vedanta damn college” and got him thinking about million to colleges and universities around the best way to maximize the impact of the the country. It was fitting, said Norden, that University in India, and others. In addition, I have foundation’s assets.There were many people a man who, on behalf of the Foundation, made numerous trips, both domestically and abroad, along the way who had a hand in helping had carried out so many philanthropic acts to present what we are doing here to audiences eager to make the idea become reality, but it was should be honored on Olin’s campus. to learn about Olin. My most recent trip was to South Mr. Milas who had the courage to present “Olin College is here today because of Korea to make a presentation to a major conference the idea to the Foundation board and the philanthropy of two men—Franklin W. on the future of engineering, at the request of the advocate for it.At the conclusion of his Olin and Lawrence W.Milas,” said Norden. South Korean Education Ministry. All these visits, and the contacts I have with (left to right) Students Amy Gao ’10 and Jennifer Keene ’10 present the 10th Anniversary ice sculpture. academics, industry representatives and government leaders, not to mention parents and students, have confirmed for me that Olin has something special to offer. I hope we continue to break new ground in engineering education and connect up with others interested in doing the same. Indeed, the future depends on it.

Richard K. Miller, President

“Olin College is here today because of the philanthropy of two men—Franklin W. Olin and Lawrence W. Milas” Innovations 2 — William Norden > > >

ON CAMPUS EVENTS > > T S U Career Initiatives Day 2007

Keeping up with the fall tradition, Career Initiatives Day 2007, held October 11, G drew employers and Olin alumni from 39 companies to campus to meet with stu- dents. Students had opportunities to talk and interview with various companies U about collaboration, internships, and full-time jobs. The entire day was filled with A helpful workshops on topics such as choosing a major, graduate school applica- tion advice, mock interview sessions, and applying to fellowships and scholar- > ships. Additionally a panel of alumni talked to current students about their experi- >

ences post-graduation, and gave tips on negotiation and whether to choose > industry vs. graduate school. >

Family Weekend 2007 >

Another successful fall Family Weekend was hosted by the Office of Parent and >

Alumni Relations in late October. More than 130 families participated by coming > to campus to visit their students, partaking in various event activities, attending > student project presentations, and enjoying the family dinner. (above) Olin alumni return to share their experiences in the “real world” with current > students; The Powers family, (below, left) and the Cheng family (below, right) joined their

FWOP Performances Continue to Impress Y The Franklin W. Olin Players (FWOP) put on yet another great show, “Picasso at students for Olin’s Family Weekend Celebration. the Lapin Agile,” in late October, in conjunction with Family Weekend. The come- L dy by Steve Martin tells the story of what might happen if Picasso, Einstein, and U a mysterious visitor from the future met in a bar in 1904. Additionally in conjunc- tion with Olin's two Candidate's Weekends in late-February and early-March, J

FWOP performed its second-ever musical — James Lapine’s “Into the Woods.” > The production was directed by Jonathan Cass '08 with musical direction by > Paul Mandel '09. Additionally the performance was produced by Olin students and starred students from Babson, Wellesley, and Olin Colleges. > >

SERV Auction Sets a Record > Another “long-standing” Olin tradition took place this fall, the annual SERV auc- > tion. Olin’s community service organization, SERV, sponsors the event which is open to the Olin Community. Students, faculty, and staff members donated goods, > time, and services to be auctioned off. The 2007 auction marked the organiza- (below) the FWOP cast performs “Into the Woods” > tion’s most successful event to date, with nearly $7,300 raised. E

Fall 2007 Open House N Olin’s fall Open House was held on October 28, 2007. Visiting prospective stu- dents had the opportunity to learn more about engineering and related careers, U meet with Olin faculty one-on-one to find out more about Olin’s unique curriculum J and tour the state-of-the-art campus. Prospective students attended an Olin stu- dent panel, “Students with Props!” to learn about student life at Olin College. > >

Olin Hosts a Flash Conference Focused on Producing > Pedal Power > The Olin student organization, Olin Students for Awesome (OSA), focuses on cre- ating appropriate technologies, dealing with issues such as human rights, social > entrepreneurship, sustainability, and in general, doing things that make a differ- >

ence. This year, Olin College hosted the OSA Flash Conference 2007 on the Olin > campus. Enthusiastic designers, thinkers, and planners gathered at the confer- > ence to design a universal pedal powered platform to be use in various appropri-

ate technology solutions. Y

Candidates’ Weekends A Once again Olin’s longest standing tradition did- n't disappoint. On February 29-March 1 and M

March 7-8, 2008, Olin hosted it's 14th and 15th > Candidates’ Weekends where students, staff > and faculty are given the chance to show off what being a member of the Olin family is all > about. Several members of the community were >

involved in interviewing and evaluating candi- > dates for entry in the Class of 2012, while many > other community members participated in vari- ous other weekend events. It's hard to match > the enthusiasm and energy on campus during >

candidate's weekends and this year again stood > out as one of Olin’s best! (above, left) Class of 2012 prospects participate in a candidates’ weekend design exercise; (above, right) Participants in the Pedal Power flash conference. >

Olin College 3 Olin Alums Continue Their Passion for Hands-on Work

DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Alex Dorsk sets sail with WHOI The past months have been busy ones for the Development while Kristen Dorsey remains Office and I would like to thank everyone for their active sup- port. A number of exciting achievements have occurred and ashore with AmeriCorps VISTA new initiatives are underway. These include: This article is part of an occasional series • The final gift from the Olin Foundation for more than on what Olin alums are doing twelve million dollars, an extremely generous legacy.The College search for a Vice President for Development Olin’s hands-on approach has drawn its fair resulted in the selection of J. Thomas Krimmel. The share of attention from students, faculty and search process included numerous meetings with all Olin constituencies and focused sessions with the media alike. It could be argued that the reason it Development Committee of the Board as well as other draws so much attention is because it translates Board members. J. Thomas Krimmel left his position as so well to post-college life. Just ask Alex Dorsk Chief Development Officer at the National Foundation for ‘07 and Kristen Dorsey ‘07.They’ve both (above) Alex Dorsk ’07 aboard the Knorr research Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in New York City and chosen paths that involve a lot of hands-on, vessel; (below) Kristen Dorsey ’07 works with First joined Olin College on April 1 (see cover story). team-oriented work and are enjoying every Robotics students from Boston. • The generous support of the Trustees as reflected in a minute of it. new matching funds program for all parents of freshmen Following graduation last May Alex joined who contribute at least $1000 as well as all alumni who the team at Wood’s Hole Oceanographic increase their pledges by a minimum of $100 over last year. Institute in Woods Hole, Mass., as a shipboard technician. Duties of his job range from writing • The Annual Fund campaign including a letter from the programs for the ship’s computers, to helping Parents Advisory Board requesting 100% parent support scientists on board learn how to use the ship’s for the College has resulted in a 76% participation rate to date, the highest parent participation rate in our history. sensors, to photographing various expeditions. Our goal is 100% parent participation by the end of our fis- He’s been all over the world (Iceland, Barbados, cal year (June 30). Bermuda, Canada, Brazil and Ascension Island) to observe, record, and map the ocean floor. • 60% alumni parent participation in the Annual Fund cam- paign. Our goal is 100% participation of alumni parents. He’s tested a new sediment coring system, mapped the sea floor near the Reykjanes Ridge • The hosting of regional friend raisers in New York, in Iceland, and tracked red tide in the Gulf of Portland, San Diego and Boston. Maine. Olin’s Class of 2007 Progress Report – • Corporate visits to IBM, HP, Flir, Mentor Graphics, ESI, He credits Olin with giving him the skills Six Months After Graduation Adobe, Planar, Nortel, and USG. he needs to be successful at sea,“As a result of working in teams for class projects at Olin, I Where are they Now • The Presidential Lecture Series featured John Sculley, • 66% are employed former President of Pepsi and Apple. A full auditorium now know the importance of defining expecta- greeted his presentation on Designing the Future – tions at the beginning of a cruise, how to get • 22% are enrolled in or plan to enroll in graduate school Business Leadership and Great Design. (story, back cover) answers when I need help and how to keep the • 3% are working with a volunteer or service • An alumni focus group is in the process of formation. The mood light and the expeditions fun,” said organization such as Teach for America, One goal of the group is to better understand the communica- Dorsk. Laptop per Child, First USA tion needs of the alumni and the types of tools that would Kristen Dorsey isn’t exploring the ocean; • 3% are involved in starting their own business be most effective for them. instead you’ll find her among a sea of high- • The establishment and meeting of the Foundry Advisory schoolers. Kristen is serving as an AmeriCorps • 3% are actively in pursuit of employment Board. The group discussed structure, levels of entrepre- Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) vol- • 1 student is teaching English on a Fulbright neurial learning, tool kits of knowledge, faculty involve- unteer working with Boston’s FIRST Robotics Scholarship in South Korea ment and needs assessment. teams.VISTA members like Kristen commit to Employment and Salary Details serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organi- • 93% of employed alumni are using engineering A reminder that in order to recruit additional external support zation or local government agency, working to or technical skills for our objectives it becomes even more critical for the out- fight illiteracy, improve health services, create • Salaries for employment range from $10,000 to side world to understand the core support of the College from $95,000 within. An important metric is the participation rate and our businesses, strengthen community groups, and • 59% are earning between $50,000 to $75,000 goal is 100% participation. much more.The ultimate goal is to expand pro- If you have not yet participated in achieving the 100% grams, in this case the local FIRST Robotics • The average salary for the class is $56,569, up goal please consider making a gift to the College. Gifts can be program, that are designed to bring individuals from $52,510 for the Class of 2006, and above made by cash or check to the Development Office. Credit and communities out of poverty. the national average of $56,470. card payments can be made on line at Even though working with FIRST is not Graduate School https://www.olin.edu/about_olin/online_donation.asp. If you something she ever imagined she would do after • 16% are enrolled in an Engineering, Math or wish to make another type of donation please Science program contact me at [email protected]. college. Kristen says,“I should have seen it com- Thank you so much for all of your support and further ing. I really love community service and had a • 6% are enrolled in a Business, Law or Medical program consideration. I hope your holidays were joyous ones and lot of fun at Olin serving a team as FIRST your preparations for spring hopeful. mentor, so this really was a logical step.” • Two students were awarded National Science Foundation Grants. Joanne Kossuth Like Alex, she feels like the hands-on team- work that she engaged in at Olin helped prepare • The top five graduate schools attended by Olin Associate Vice President, Development, graduates are: Babson, MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Chief Information Officer her for just about anything.Additionally, the and Cornell phone: 781-292-2431 communication skills she acquired through email: [email protected] those experiences are helping her to stay con- ** Note:The Class of 2007 had 72 graduates; however these figures are based on an 87% response rate to a nected to her co-workers who are spread survey that was conducted in January 2008. throughout New England.

Innovations 4 S

CAMPUS NEWS U P M Steve Schiffman Named IN BRIEF Associate Dean for Academic A

Programs C >

The reorgani- >

zation of the S senior adminis- tration that W took effect this

fall, which E combined the Provost and N

Dean of Faculty posts Not your average final exam? Design Nature, fall 2007 MIT/Olin Robotic Vehicle Takes Fourth Place in DARPA S into the Vice President of Academic Design Nature is a first-year design course requirement Urban Challenge Affairs position, also established the posi-

that merges basic mechatronics, biomimicry, and creativity MIT’s automated Land Rover, Talos, took fourth place in the U tion of Associate Dean for Academic into a hands-on project. This year, the criteria were DARPA Urban Challenge, a road race for driverless, robotic

Programs and Curricular Innovation. Olin’s changed; instead of the traditional wall-climbers, students vehicles held in Victorville, Calif., last November. Packed P Vice President for Academic Affairs, Mike were assigned the challenge of designing “swimmers,” beneath the metal frame of the self-piloting robot car were

Moody, announced recently that Stephen toys that would move and function while submerged in computers and electronic sensors developed by the Olin M Schiffman will serve the College in this water. As part of the final evaluation of the project, 4th 2006 DARPA SCOPE team to assist with race course navi- position. “Steve is widely respected as a graders from Hillside Elementary School in Needham were gation in simulated urban traffic. Three members from the A great colleague with much wisdom, expe- invited to Olin College to assess the designs and vote on SCOPE team were present at the event: Keoni Mahelona C rience and a temperate approach to han- whether it was something they would potentially buy. This ’07, Alexander Epstein ’07, and Wellesley graduate Katy dling the many issues and challenges of project not only encourages students to focus on the physi- Moyer, along with Olin professor David Barrett. >

building the curriculum and the College,” cal and technical components of designing a toy, but to Not only did the MIT car successfully complete sever- > said Moody. “He has been a vital contrib- consider its marketability as well. al pre-qualifying events, in a field of 89 original applicants utor to Olin from the earliest days.” and the 35 selected to compete in the finals, but the vehicle S Schiffman came to Olin from Babson Olin Community Members Help Coordinate the First was also one of only six vehicles to successfully complete College, and he holds appointments as International Development Design Summit the challenging 55-mile course. The first-, second-, and W Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Olin alumnae Laura Stupin ‘07 and Mel Chua ‘07, along with third-place competitors were from Carnegie-Mellon, E at both Olin and Babson. At Babson, he Assistant Professor Ben Linder and junior Jeffrey Stanford, and Virginia Tech, respectively.

was Dean of the Undergraduate Program Gluckstein ‘09, played a key role in organizing and support- DARPA (the U.S. Defense Advanced Research N and was the architect of the extensive ing the first-of-its-kind International Development Design Projects Agency) created the Urban Challenge to encour-

curricular reform effort that led Babson to Summit (IDDS) which took place at MIT July 16-August 10, age the development of autonomous vehicles that can

its position as the leader in entrepreneur- 2007. The goal of the summit, attended by 40 students, engi- operate on battlefields to minimize human casualties. S ship education and innovation. Schiffman neers, farmers, professors, and others from 18 countries, holds a Ph.D. degree in mathematics from was to talk about problems in the developing world and “Yellow Lights” Wins Two Awards at Indie Fest USA U Dartmouth College, and an S.M. degree then create real, workable solutions to them. As such par- On October 29, “Yellow Lights,” the feature film produced P from the M.I.T. Sloan School of ticipants worked on ways to devise simple, affordable by Olin alums, Tom Kochem ‘06 and Kevin Tostado ‘06, was Management. methods to sterilize water, chill produce, generate electrici- screened as part of the 2007 Indie Fest USA film festival M ty, and solve other issues faced by communities in third- which took place at the AMC Downtown Disney in

world countries. Teams are coached by sector specialists Anaheim, Calif. Following its successful screening, “Yellow A and guest speakers. In the last week of the summit, partici- Lights” was awarded “Best Feature Film” and “Best Olin Welcomes Four New pants showcase their prototypes to the public before taking Cinematography!” The awards were presented by the C

them out for field testing and implementation. Academy of Independent Cinema Arts and Artists. There > President’s Council Members were a total of 23 feature films screened at the festival and > PRISM Magazine Features Four Olin Alumni 76 films in competition for the cinematography award.

Olin College Class of 2006 alumni Chris Murphy, Que Ahn S Elizabeth G. Armstrong, Ph.D. Nguyen, Dylan Sanders-Garrett, and Frances Haugen, were David Kerns, Jr. Receives

Director of Education Programs, featured in the December 2007 issue of PRISM, a monthly 2007 Edwin C. Jones Jr. W Harvard Medical International; magazine published by the American Society for Meritorious Service Director of the Harvard-Macy Institute, Engineering Education. The alumni say that Olin’s emphasis Award E Harvard Medical International; on teamwork and creative problem solving prepared them Congratulations to Dr. Professor, Harvard Medical School for their challenging careers. Murphy is a graduate student Kerns for his most recent N

in an program jointly run by MIT and accolade! He is the recipi- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Sanders-Garrett is a ent of the IEEE Education Marshall N. Carter, M.A. S mechanical engineer and designer at Synapse Product Society’s 2007 Edwin C. Chairman of the New York Stock Exchange and Deputy Chairman of the parent company Design in Seattle, WA. Nguyen is pursuing a Ph.D. in mate- Jones Jr. Meritorious U NYSE Euronext rials science and engineering at the University of California, Service Award. This award is given to a member of the Berkeley. Her research is focused on developing nano- IEEE Education Society to recognize pioneering contribu- P scale solar materials. Haugen is currently employed at tions to the administrative efforts of the Society over a peri-

Tullio Cedraschi, M.B.A. Google, Inc. as an associate product manager. Of her od of years, as evidenced by dedication, effort, and contri- M President and Chief Executive Officer of years at Olin, Haugen says, “We spent a huge amount of butions. Dr. Kern’s citation is for “exemplary service to and CN Investment Division. time working in teams, and setting our own direction.” As a leadership of the Education Society, for contributions to A result, when students graduate from Olin they are skilled at engineering education, for educational innovation, for text- C assessing “a very undefined problem, then going out and books, and for guidance of the Frontiers in Education con- Venkatesh Narayanamurti, Ph.D. solving it,” a skill that translates very well to any career. ference.” Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences,

Olin College 5 Olin SCOPE Project Targets Sustainability in Guatemala

Every year Olin sponsors its own SCOPE project. The current market and value-chain; 2) understanding the project is determined by the junior class the year partnerships between CES and local entrepreneurs; prior to its implementation. Sustainability is a topic 3) studying the competition (i.e. other stove distribu- that has been of great interest to Olin students and tion organizations); and 4) increasing the sustainabili- last year, following the College’s Big Conversations ty of the low-cost business model built around the event in April, four students collaborated to submit a product. Professor Jessica Townsend is serving as proposal for the 2007-2008 FW Olin SCOPE project. the team’s faculty advisor. The idea was accepted and now four Olin seniors— Ultimately, what the team hopes to accomplish Carmelle Tsai, Stephen Westwood, Christopher is finding a means to drive the cost of the stove as Carrick and Ryan Hubbard, as well as one Babson low as possible while maintaining or increasing student, Melina Martinez—are working to improve an usability, energy efficiency, ease of assembly, and existing wood burning stove design that was created ease of distribution. “We wanted to work on this proj- by Estufas Ixiles Stove Co., an initiative of Community ect specifically so that we could learn about the larg- Enterprise Solutions (CES) (www.cesolutions.org). er world and make a difference in it at the same CES is a non-profit that works with local groups time,” said Steve Westwood, one of the team’s safe- throughout Guatemala to design and implement ty/ethics coordinators. “We were inspired by Big entrepreneurial and educational solutions that are Conversations and wanted to do something important uniquely responsive to long-standing, rural chal- in the lives of others.” Big Conversations, an Olin- lenges. sponsored lecture series, recently hosted a forum on There are two primary areas of focus to this appropriate technologies in the developing world. (above) members of the FW Olin SCOPE Team work on their wood project. The first is to improve the stove’s design, The Olin SCOPE project is one of 11 projects in burning stove. making it less expensive, easier to assemble, appeal- progress this year. Other sponsors include aPriori, ing to the design values of its users, and at least as Boston Scientific, Lexmark, MITRE, Nortel, Pratt & (left) a stove prototype. energy efficient as the current model. Whitney, Rockwell Automation, ROCONA, The second main area of focus is designed to Schlumberger and Vision Robotics. To learn more address the business issues by 1) understanding the please visit www.olin.edu/scope.

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

E! (Pronounced “Ee bang”) = Entrepreneurship the Olin Way It’s a blustery Tuesday afternoon when I visit like and take on typical business roles such as found a way to leverage his many years of experi- Olin’s Foundations of Business and CEO, CFO and VP of Marketing. ence as an entrepreneur and early-stage investor Entrepreneurship (FBE) class, taught by Professors This particular class (the one I visited in the by inviting real-life entrepreneurs into the class- Steve Schiffman, Steve Gold and John Bourne. fall of 2007) had the following seven businesses room.“We’re looking to provide students with I’ve expressed interest in writing a story about gelling: examples of how someone with a technical back- this class because it fascinates me to know that ground can become a successful entrepreneur and Olin has found a way to extend its distinctive • Words from the Earth – unique greeting cards do something really exciting that has potential to hands-on approach to teaching entrepreneurship. created from 100% recycled paper, which is improve many people’s lives,” says Gold. He has Which is exactly what FBE is all about – simulat- made by the students. also invited various other entrepreneurs, investors, ing the steps involved in starting up a business. • Comfy Things from Olin – custom made bean corporate attorneys, and patent attorneys to The class is a requirement for all Olin students bag chairs. address other relevant topics.While the students and is designed to provide them with experience do generate profits (in most cases), in the end that • Ductems – custom-made, rugged duct tape in planning and growing a business venture. isn’t what their grade depends on. It’s more about items including (but not limited to) iPod cases, Students learn by doing, while building compe- the quality of the concept, how the group roses, wallets, belts, neckties, and laptop tence in the functional areas of business, including worked as a team to accomplish their goals and carriers. accounting, finance, marketing and strategy. how well they marketed the business. There are a minimum of guidelines and limi- • Ultraviolet Environmental Services – To top it off, the profits that are generated by tations, because the class is designed to teach diagnostic testing for common chemical and the businesses are donated to a charity of the entrepreneurial skills. Students are asked to focus biological contaminants. class’s choosing.This year the lucky recipient was on the “business” aspects of the project rather • The Olin Tutoring Squad – private subject and the Hyde Park FIRST team.The FBE class pre- than on designing or building a technology. SAT tutoring for high school students. sented them with a check for $2,000—not bad Additionally they must stay within their $1-$300 • Olin Custom Calendars – incorporates for ten weeks worth of learning! –Alyson Goodrow budget (an amount that is paid back to Olin), and campus scenes and key Olin dates into custom complete the project in just ten weeks. Professor calendars. Gold points out,“it is important to note that we’re not trying to create business people in this • Adhere Custom Stickers – unique, custom class, we’re trying to create holistic thinkers that printed stickers for personalizing generic understand what it takes to develop ideas into consumer products. great products and services.” Here’s how it works: at the start of the semes- Over the course of the semester students ter each student makes a “rocket pitch” to the spend time developing, marketing, and selling class, in which they have three minutes and three their products.As students are introduced to fun- slides to explain their idea for a business. Students damental business concepts in class, they experi- then vote on the ideas that are most appealing; ence them first hand in their businesses.To enhance their experience, professor Gold has Olin’s FBE class presented a check to the Hyde Park FIRST from there they form teams around the ideas they team.

Innovations 6 > > > >

FACULTY VOICE >

FACULTY FOCUS >

Faculty Development Module: > history as dynamic and relevant. I’m exploring the possibility Faculty learn circuits, Olin-style Two Olin Faculty Members Reach Out to S Fellow Educators to Make a Difference of bringing some of these teachers to our campus at some During winter break I

point, and I would also like to involve Olin students in this taught the third faculty N project as well.” development module,

While Martello helps students in the South, Associate titled “The Circuit O Professor of Mechanical Engineering Brain Storey, traveled Experience at Olin.” Ten half way around the world to effect change. During winter of my colleagues partici- Z I break, professor Storey went to Gandhinagar, India, to par- pated and Professors Brad Minch and Gill Pratt ticipate in the first-ever Hands-On Research School. This R revolutionary school targeted educators from developing co-taught with me.

countries where resources are limited and laboratories Interestingly, my experi- O equipped for cutting-edge research are rare. Nine senior Jose Oscar Mur-Miranda ence teaching Olin faculty faculty members and their assistants were joined by 45 members was surprisingly similar to that of teaching H

young scientists from 21 countries. Olin students: a classroom filled with very smart, The idea was to teach physics via hands-on laboratory ambitious students whose backgrounds span all pos- Rob Martello presents to students at the Museum of Fine research and mathematical modeling. Participants took part sible levels of expertise in the subject. Everyone was G Arts, Boston in interactive, hands-on research involving tabletop experi- engaged and giving their maximum effort, but as ments with real-time computer data acquisition and associ- many engineers know, sometimes Murphy’s Law N

By nature many of Olin’s faculty members are predis- I ated computational modeling. The research was inherently makes sure that a simple hour-long laboratory turns posed to giving back and their involvement with Olin only into a ten-hour fight to discover why the laws of

interdisciplinary, and topics ranged from biological networks D reinforces that commitment. Case in point: Rob Martello and to spatial patterns in fluids to laser chaos. physics cease to exist in the confines of your bread- Brian Storey, two Olin professors who are effecting change

Professor Storey was recruited by Harry Swinney, one board. There were similar groans when things didn’t N among fellow educators in the U.S. and abroad. of four founding directors, because of his experience teach- work and similar excitement when circuits finally Rob Martello, associate professor of the history of sci- ing in a hands-on for- behaved as expected. A ence and technology, is doing his part to revitalize K-12 his- mat at Olin. He The purpose of this module was to expose the tory education in several ways: more closely connecting it to P jumped at the chance faculty to the hands-on laboratories that first and the arts and sciences; using history as a way to foster stu-

to be involved “The second year students experience in Engineering of X dent skill development such as critical writing and reading; idea of a hands-on Compartment Systems (ECS) and Principles of and treating teachers as adult learners by viewing teacher workshop was right Engineering (PoE). Exposing faculty to the same E education as an ongoing process. His efforts are part of a up my alley,” says experiences that students have helps them under- > much larger effort, a $1 million Teaching American History stand the work that students do in other classes and Storey. “I was inter- > grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant was ested to do what I the contributions and ways of thinking that carry provided to support a partnership between the Savannah- > could to spread Olin’s across disciplines. Following projects that first and Chatham County Public Schools and the Georgia Historic mission to members second year students are required to complete dur- > Society (GHS) for a project entitled “America: The

of the international ing ECS and PoE, the module reviewed an anemome- > Experiment - The Experience - The Echo.” Olin College is Participants of the Hands-On community, and I ter circuit, a Lego clock circuit, and two microcon- one of the participating institutions on this grant project. Research School make time for > sight-seeing in Gandhinagar, India. knew I had a lot to troller circuits. Faculty from all disciplines formed

Martello serves as the history of technology represen- > gain from teaching teams and dove into these projects mimicking the tative on the interdisciplinary educational team. He has students with such diverse backgrounds.” process students follow where teams work largely > begun by serving as a guest speaker and panel discussant With the help of two Olin alums, David Boy ‘07 and on their own, while instructors provide guidance as

in last fall’s teacher education symposium in Savannah, GA. S Nathan Karst ‘07, professor Storey taught the only computa- requested. He continues to work on the project by developing teacher tional based session, “Mathematical Modeling,” which was “I enjoyed the circuits faculty module because education materials. He is currently preparing for a summer N meant to be complementary to the experimental sessions. it was material I had not really been exposed to travel institute in which he will give lectures to a group of

The inaugural session was a notable success and before, particularly the actual building, so it gave me O Georgia teachers when they visit the Boston area. while the school remains an experiment at this point, a sec- a much better grounding in terms of terminology and “I love working with these motivated teachers and ond session is planned for July 26-August 7, 2009 in Sao what the students actually do in some of the first and Z learning about the challenges they face,” says Martello. Paulo, Brazil. For more information please visit second year classes,” said Alisha Sieminski, assis- I “They enthusiastically want to use history of technology http://www.ipr.res.in/winterschool07/. tant professor of bioengineering. narratives and perspectives to help their students think of R Furthermore, sharing these experiences enhances the complementary nature of Olin’s cur- O riculum. “Participating in the faculty circuits module Publishing Notes this winter gave me great insight into some of what H Associate Professor of Computer Science Allen Downey isn’t exactly a publishing novice. In fact, he runs a small company

the students are learning in ECS and POE,” said called Green Tea Press (greenteapress.com) where he’s published four books to date. His most recent is titled “Physical mod- Rebecca Christianson, assistant professor of applied eling in MATLAB” which is now being sold online after serving as the text book for last semester’s Integrated Course Block physics. “Since my classes are concurrent with ECS G (ICB): Math & Physics. As if that weren’t keeping him busy enough, he’s also working on a revision of “How to Think like a and immediately precede POE, this has helped me to

Computer Scientist,” a book that is under contract with Cambridge University Press. In the meantime, fellow faculty member N better relate the material in my classes to what they

Ellen Argyros, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, has recently signed a contract with I are seeing elsewhere.” Publish America to have her first book of poetry, “Feta in Brine,” published. Participating in these faculty modules is a great D Sponsored Research Update experience that sets Olin apart from other institu- tions. As a participant, I get to learn new and differ- More than $70,000 worth of grant money was awarded to Olin professors during the latter part of 2007 from sponsors including N ent material. As a teacher, I had the opportunity to MIT, NASA, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System and the National Security Agency (NSA). Specific projects

learn more about my teaching style, and gauge more A funded included the NASA/Olin Summer engineering internship program; Assistant Professor Rob Martello’s preparation for accurately whether the presentation of the material his participation in the Summer 2008 Travel Institute and the History Illuminaria Symposium (see article above); and a research P is clear. I look forward to participating in future facul- program that revolves around the marriage of classical mathematics and modern wireless communications systems. Moving ty modules and hope this becomes a permanent part forward, the first part of 2008 has already seen more than $2 million worth of proposals for external funding to support a vari- X of Olin’s tradition and culture. ety of projects including collaborative research on the topic of using the learning community paradigm as a pathway to pro- E duce engineering graduates who welcome diversity and value humanity’s needs; reconfigurable and programmable analog – Jose Oscar Mur-Miranda education; exploring constraints and frustration in nano-structured and bio-molecular materials; as well as supporting the acquisition of a fleet of mobile-dexterous robots to support the development of a new robotic program of study within a multi- university community.

Olin College 7

INSIGHTSEAST HALL NEWS

Presidential Lecture Series the relationship between philanthropy and New York University, where she directs the Sculley pointed to Apple, Inc., as an Features Philanthropy Expert, economic development. After the college graduate program in philanthropic studies. example of a company that is flourishing in Former Apple CEO was established in 1636, the founders looked On January 30 as part of the same the new economy. In contrast to many other for a way to include students from all eco- series of lectures, former Apple and Pepsico high tech companies, which concentrate first A noted philanthropy expert and one of the nomic classes, not just the rich. They CEO John Sculley addressed the Olin com- on the technical components of a product, country's most respected CEOs headlined approached Lady Molson, a wealthy colonist, munity, sharing with them his ideas on the Apple focuses on the design and the cus- last fall's Presidential Lecture Series at Olin. who agreed to fund scholarships for the "arti- global trends that are transforming business tomer experience, an approach that has cre- Dr. Claire Gaudiani, former president of the san class." in today's "flat world" economy. ated such beautiful technical "jewelry" as the University of Connecticut, discussed Soon, said Gaudiani, 20 percent of Sculley, who is known for combining iPod, and combined it with useful programs how American philanthropy has inspired Harvard's students came from this class. product design innovations with creative like iTunes. "The digital world really shifted innovation, while former Apple and Pepsico Grateful communities who benefited from the marketing, outlined the new financing and power to the designers who were thinking of CEO John Sculley shared his thoughts on talents of educated graduates gave back to business models behind "Economy 2.0." things from the user's perspective," said the new "flat-world" economy. Harvard in the form of wheat and other com- Among the factors driving the new world Sculley. Dr. Gaudiani, one of the leading authori- modities. This set up a virtuous cycle of gen- economy are the rise of such developing ties on the history and economics of erosity, opportunity, prosperity and gratitude, economies as Brazil, Russia, India and China, American philanthropy, spoke at Olin leading to further acts of philanthropy. and the introduction of the Internet and new November 14. With many examples drawn "This illustrates the core of American communication technologies. In this environ- from America's past, Gaudiani argued that, culture-a commitment to innovation and ment, companies are forming "virtual ecosys- as Americans, "we are not generous because courage, topped off by generosity," said tems" for manufacturing and distributing we're rich, we got rich because of our gen- Gaudiani. "They realized if they invested in products. erosity." each other, they would be better off." Success in this new environment, said Gaudiani, author of the widely cited Gaudiani urged Olin students-as benefi- Sculley, depends on focusing on a book "The Greater Good: How Philanthropy ciaries of the largesse of the F. W. Olin "superior end customer experience." This Drives the American Economy," said the Foundation-to make generosity a central part focus on superior customer experience is, in interrelationship of philanthropy and eco- of their life plan, in the great American tradi- turn, creating a new emphasis on "end to nomic development began in the earliest tion of philanthropy. end" systems-integrated business structures days of American society. She cited the Gaudiani, the former president of encompassing inventories, distribution and American philanthropy expert addresses founding of Harvard College as an example of Connecticut College, is a professor at especially well thought out product design. the Olin community.

OLIN STUDENTS SHINE UPCOMING Innovations Olin students ACTIVITIES AND shine during Fall EVENTS ©2008 Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering Expo. Please visit Office of Communication: http://olincasts. April 9, 2008 Joseph Hunter olin.edu/ to view Big Conversations 781-292-2261 a five minute Alyson Goodrow 781-292-2257 video feature May 12-14, 2008 on Expo. Olin Exposition e-mail: [email protected] Photography: Michael Maloney May 18, 2008 Design: Commencement for Class of ‘08 Vergara Design

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